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Finding Perspective in Money Matters from Others

Sometimes we all get perspectives that can lead us down a bad path. There are ways of thinking that can lead us to do things that are negative for ourselves. Sometimes we can even convince ourselves that this is the right way to think even when the evidence is clearly stating otherwise. This is very true for perspectives regarding money. We all have known people that have adopted dangerous views about finances that have come back to bite them in the bottom hard even when others have told them otherwise.

I once had a friend that loved the finer things in life. She loved to spend hours online and buy an obscene amount of handbags and shoes. The only problem was that she had no money. She was a poor college student that was living on loans to help her get by in school. Her credit cards were being used to an excessive amount and she was close to losing everything she knew to her debts. Her perspective was that the money that she had was never ending when it was really borrowed money that one day needed to be paid back.

My brother is someone who you could say is very frugal. He has been known to only buy clothes when his other clothes are falling apart. His clothing shopping really only consists of what he can find in thrift stores. He thinks buying bottled water is the absolute worst waste of money out there. For this reason, he always keeps a reusable bottle of water with him. He doesn’t have very much money but he males an effort to conserve what he has. His perspective is that he should build the right financial attitudes now so that he can be even better when he does have cash to hold.

My old employer was someone who had to worry very little about money. He had spent a lifetime building a solid financial foundation by working hard. Despite this, he made an effort to conserve money while also investing heavily in dividend yielding stocks. He was also smart in that he diversified his income which protected him in the long run. He was someone who was mindful of money but kept it at a point that life could still be enjoyed. His perspective was that of someone who had a lot of economic security but still found the time to spend with his family. He was the first to say that money was not the most important thing.

Having the right perspective on things can really shape your financial future. It can really make or break you. There are some people in my life that have taught me lessons just by living their own lives and views on money. I thoroughly believe that you can learn from others especially when it comes to matters of the wallet. Remember why you are working so hard and how good it will feel to adopt the right perspective on money when you have a built a great life for yourself. After all, money is just another tool we use to help us get to where we really want in life.